


The dead are watching

by redqueenrises



Category: FTWD - Fandom, Fear The Walking Dead - Fandom, The Walking Dead, Twd - Fandom
Genre: #Twd #Thewalkingdead, #adventure, #romance, Multi
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-11-23
Updated: 2020-11-22
Packaged: 2021-03-10 01:55:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,064
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27675683
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/redqueenrises/pseuds/redqueenrises
Summary: The Walking Dead, alternate storyline.Louisa (Ladybug) no-name has gone through some shit in her lifetime, but nothing compares to the fucking zombie apocalypse. Scientists have failed to uncover the cure for this new and terrible virus, and Tennessee is hit quicker and harder then anyone could have expected. Louisa is completely and utterly alone when everything falls apart, she’s felt alone her entire life, but slowly and surely, along the way, she meets new people who she learns to call her family. This is the story of a world gone mad, and the people who are crazy enough to live through it.
Comments: 2
Kudos: 2





	The dead are watching

My name is Louisa.

Some people call me Ladybug.

I know my name, I don’t know how many days it’s been since everything went to shit. I think the world may be trying to end but some people are just too stubborn to let it happen fully. I’m one of those people. 

I first heard about it in the summer. One or two odd, paranormal cases of people supposedly “defying death.” Coming back to life after dying of an intense fever, but not coming back the same. The dead could walk now. I thought it was the same thing it always is on these news sites... fake news, the kind of stuff that stations use for publicity. Throughout all the bits and pieces I have picked up along the way, i do remember the way it all started.

I’d been staying with my friend Juniper for about three months, but hell, I hadn’t been home in over a year, not since my mother kicked me out. I was only sixteen when my mom kicked me out, I had nowhere to go but Angel’s house, and things were bad there, worse then bad.

I ended up getting kicked out of Angel’s house, I had lived there for almost a year after my mom kicked me out. Angels father passed away and their family could hardly afford to pay rent. It might have been a good thing, to finally leave that place, except I had nowhere else to go. I couldn’t go home, I had too much pride for that. So I spent the next few weeks in the streets, and those were the very worst days of my life. I froze half to death some nights, other nights I couldn’t sleep because I had to be alert of my surroundings. When I met Juniper I swear I was half dead, but she brought me back.

She had found me in the streets and remembered me from school. I hadn’t actually been to school in a year and a half, so I was surprised she recognized me, I didn’t remember who she was until a few days later. She took me to her house, where it was just her and her grandma. She let me stay, but I knew it would never last long. I never lasted long in nice places. Still, it was a kind thing to do, to bring in a stranger.

Well, I wasn’t a complete stranger. Juniper told me she was in the photographer club, the group of people who used to walk around school taking pictures of students for the yearbook or the school newspaper. She said she liked photographing me best because I was photogenic. She also said she used to be too scared to talk to me because she was convinced I was a mean stoner, that made me laugh.

Oh Juniper, with her yellow, pony tailed hair and big smile and pink-rimmed glasses. She never could have lasted in the new world, the world that no one knew was coming. 

A week before everything fell apart Juniper kicked me out. She had said if I came home drugged out again she would do it without hesitation, and she did. I didn’t bother begging or crying, I didn’t bother with the usual routine, it never worked anyways.

I did love Juniper a lot. She was my best friend, and only friend for a long time. She even came up with her own nickname for me, she always used to call me Ladybug, and the name sort of stuck after a while.

I kept trying and failing to get a job, she was there for me through that too. I got fired from one of these jobs because of the “state of my arms”. My boss wasn’t even bold enough to say what they really were, what he knew they were. Juniper’s grandma came and cussed him out, and I swear that had to have been the most loved and cared for I’d ever felt, watching my best friend’s grandma cuss out my boss. I should have known something so good would never last.

I am addicted to opioids. I have been since I was fourteen. I hated myself for it, but that never changed anything, I never dreamed I could escaped it, not even in a perfect world. I promised Juniper so many times that I would change, but she started to give up on me, I watched it happen slowly. I made the decision to overdose, and I didn’t think about how much it would hurt her.

Juniper said she couldn’t live with me dying on her hands. I didn’t let her see my tears, in fact I only let them fall once I’d turned around and left her house for good. I didn’t head towards the city, not this time. Even though the city surely meant being able to stock up on drugs, I simply couldn’t live there again. I wouldn’t go back, no matter what I wouldn’t go back.

My dad was a crazy survival freak when I was younger. He’d take me and my brother, Tommen, outdoors every other day. Swimming in the river, learning to set traps for animals. I always asked him what we’d need to do all that for, and he said the end of the world was coming. I used to laugh when he would say that, and he would say it often, even though it scared my little brother.

It turns out that my dad actually believed all the crazy stuff he said, and that’s how he ended up in the mental institution. I visited him for a while, but eventually I just stopped. I stopped caring about him because it was easier that way. It was difficult for Tommen. I’m not sure my brother ever really let go of the nonsense my father used to scare him with. 

Still, even after ten years, the things my father had taught me about living off nature sort of stuck with me, even though I’d spent most of my teenage life indoors getting high. I have a very good memory, that’s one of my few strengths. I spent the week after getting kicked out of Juniper’s in the woods, hunting rabbits and harvesting weird plans, living under a dark green poncho. 

About a week had passed since I left Juniper’s, and on one morning particularly I woke up to the sound of honking horns and shouting. My first thought was of a car crash, maybe a traffic jam? I’d purposefully gone to the part of the woods where the roads were often deserted. It takes me a minute to get out of the woods and onto the road, but when I finally do I freeze on the spot. 

Hundreds of cars stretch along the lanes, more than I’ve ever seen in one place before. It’s not a traffic jam necessarily, no, absolutely nobody will be moving anytime soon by the looks of it. People sit on the tops of their cars, talking to each other in nervous voices, turning up their radios. The words coming from the speakers slowly register with me, and I begin to realize what’s going on.

“Evacuate the cities, stay in small groups, wait for military personnel. If you are in the city, stand by and prepare for evacuation, wait for military personnel.” A women’s voice repeats over and over. The announcement is being played over several different radios in several different cars. No matter where I go, I can’t escape the broadcast, and I find myself walking quickly through the crowded streets until I accidentally bump into a stranger.

“Oh, I’m sorry.” The stranger says immediately. She’s pretty, looks like she could be from the countryside by the way she’s dressed. Long, muddy brown boots, loose blue jeans, a blue blouse. Her hair is swept into a side ponytail under her brown hat, and she seems remarkably calm compared to those around her.

“What’s going on?” I ask her hurriedly, my eyes searching through the cars, taking everything in.

“Some virus, it’s bringing back the dead. I know it sounds bonkers, but it’s real. I seen one myself, they’re not pretty, not at all. Dad had to run it over three times before it stayed down. It’s a terrible idea, I think, all of us being so close together, but somebody said they’re going to bomb Nashville and Memphis because the spread is so out of hand there.” The girl tells me, with a voice that’s as airy as if she were discussing the weather. I simply gape at her, trying to decide if she’s serious. She reaches out her hand.

“I’m Pauna, Pauna Bittsohne. You look lost.”

“I’m not lost.” I say quickly. “I think I’ve just missed something, something important by the sound of it. Last time I heard there were one or two cases of the dead coming back to life. They said it was nothing to worry about.”

“They lied.” She says simply. “We knew they were liars, my family and I, so we left early. We’d been visiting my dad’s side of the family in the city, we don’t live in the city though, we live way out east. Just my luck we’re visiting the city when the apocalypse begins.”

“Apocalypse?” I ask desperately. She smiles, and I wonder silently if this girl might be slightly unhinged. Maybe it’s a good thing for her, some say the crazy people are the ones who survive this kind of shit. I decide to go ahead and like her, she seems like the likable kind. A little weird, but the kind of girl you’d want to ride out the apocalypse with. Not to mention she’s the first actual person I’ve talked to since I got kicked out of Junipers.

“This is the apocalypse, darling, there’s no point sugarcoating it.” She says cheerfully. “My dad grew up in the city, but my mom is a country girl. She’s insisted ever since we were young that we bring our guns when we go on trips to the city. You can never be too careful, she told me, so now we got weapons. We also got some food, water, anything we may need, just right over in the truck.”

She points to a large, grey truck where a large man is sitting in the drivers seat, smoking what looks like a camel cigar.

“You’re welcome to come with us. We’re going to AJ’s campsite. It’s about ten, fifteen miles north of here.” Pauna says. “It’s the end times, we need all the people we can get. Dad’s already worked up a crowd that’s willing to follow him off this road and towards the camp.”

I consider this for a moment. I trust this stranger, for whatever reason, but how do I know whether or not she’s making up this whole walking dead story? If she’s telling the truth, and she isn’t making this up, then I have someone I need to help. I have somewhere I need to go before I can join her and her family.

“I’m going back near the city, not too close, I’m just gonna see if I can find my friend. She’s going to need me if everything you’re saying is true. When I get back from that I’ll come and find you.” I tell her.

She nods her head and I turn, ready to make my way back towards the woods, but she asks me one last question.

“What’s your name?” She calls. I hesitate a moment before answering.

“Louisa, but some people call me Ladybug.” I answer, smiling slightly. With that we part ways. I head back to the woods, intending to travel through the trees because it’s far easier then traveling through the cars. I think about the people who have never learned to pitch a tent or find clean water, they won’t last long if things are really as bad as Pauna says they are.

The farther I go into the woods, the quieter things get. I know I’m nearing the city when I start hearing sirens and screams. The city is always loud, but never this loud. I feel my heart racing all of a sudden, and I realize with dread that this probably means Pauna was right about everything falling apart, probably right about the fucking zombie apocalypse. 

I can’t believe how stupid the officials were to pretend this was no big deal. The reports on the news suggested it was an extremely rare case of some super-long named, super complicated psychological disease. Now, because we had no warning, I spent the last seven days living in the woods, blissfully unaware of the total shit imploding around me.

I’m drawn to the noise of the city the way a moth is drawn to the light. I’ve always been drawn to noice, it’s a strange, attention capturing thing. I know I shouldn’t go anywhere NEAR the city, I know I have somewhere else to go, and yet I so want to find out what all the noise is about.

I hear the person attempting to trail me in silence long before his hand closes over my shoulder, but when it does I bring my elbow up to his nose, as hard as I can. He falls back, clenching his face, and I only take a moment to look at him.

The moment is all I need, it seems. It’s a boy, maybe a bit older then me, with dark curly hair, black eyes, and caramel skin. He’s around 6 feet tall, and carrying a crowbar. When my eyes find the weapon, I have the strong urge to run, that is until he drops it on the forest floor. I stand facing him confusedly as he holds up his hands, revealing his now blood stained face. I bounce on the heels of my feet a few times, trying to decide if I should get away while his weapon is down.

“You didn’t have to elbow me.” He says, sighing. I cock my head, still looking him up and down suspiciously.

“You didn’t have to try and sneak up on me.” I say quietly and urgently. “I heard you about a mile back. You drag your feet.”

“No ones ever told me that.” He says, and I can tell he means it. He’s standing straighter now, looking at me skeptically. “What’s your name?”

“Tell me why you were following me first.” I demand.

“Everyone else is in their cars, walking around the roads, heads in the clouds. I saw you go into the forest, and I know that walk all too well, so I got out of my car, grabbed my bag and followed you, hoping that I might have found a fellow person who actually knows what their doing out here.”

“Well I don’t.” I promise him. “I haven’t been in the woods since I was twelve. I picked up a few things a while ago, that’s all.”

“What’s your name?” He asks again. I stare at him for a minute before answering, deciding it can’t hurt to tell him.

“Louisa, but everyone calls me Ladybug.” I tell him.

“I’m Max, but everyone calls me Max.”  
He says, and he smiles like that was the funniest thing in the world. I have to struggle to keep my mouth straight simply because of the stupidity of the joke. When he slowly reaches back down for his crowbar, I back up a few steps, but he still holds his hands up where I can see them.

“I’m gonna put the weapon on my belt.” He says slowly. He does that, and I watch him suspiciously until the crowbar is hanging from a strap on his side. 

“I’m gonna go now.” I say, turning away and walking for only a moment before whipping back around. He’s following me. “Get lost.” I snap.

“Where else would I go?” He asks airily, motioning to the forest around us. 

“I don’t know, don’t you have family to find? Friends? Maybe a dog for fucks sakes?” I ask, annoyed. 

“Nope.” He answers simply, and he takes the lead, now walking ahead of me. I only pause for a moment before tossing my head back and catching up with him. 

“You don’t even know where I’m going.” I say exasperatedly. “And who said I want you tagging along on the first place?”

He doesn’t seem offended by my words, in fact, judging by his expression he’s rather amused which simply frustrates me further.

“My parents are two states away, I have hardly any supplies to bother with a car, and according to you I can’t even move through the words properly. I’m not exactly gonna be better off alone. I’d rather tag along with the pretty redhead girl.” He says, smiling.

“Shut up.” I snarl. I still don’t trust this asshole, he’s a stranger after all, and it’s gonna take a lot more then suck-up talk for him to convince me he’s not going to be a burden. “Don’t start the pretty girl bullshit with me.”

“As you wish.” He says, bowing his head at me.

“You making yourself seem useless is supposed to convince me to let you tag along?” I ask him. “Wouldn’t you rather tell me why I should want you around?”

“I’m resourceful. I know how to kill the walkers, most of these idiots haven’t figured that out and won’t figure out until after they’re bit.” Max tells me.

“Bit?” I ask questionably.

“That’s how the infection is spread. Those sons of bitches bite through the skin if they see you, or smell you, or hear you, unless you can get them real good through the head.” Max explains. “That’s why I got the crowbar. You’ll have to find a weapon too.”

“I’ll worry about weapons after I’ve found my friend. If I do find her we’re heading away from the city. I met a girl named Pauna, real country chick, and she said her family’s taking people in at this campsite. There’s no use in risking our lives going out into a city gone mad.” I say.

“Wouldn’t you rather find the military bases? Won’t it be safer there?” Max asks.

“I don’t think it will be.” I say grimly. “I don’t trust those fuckers for the life of me. Pauna thinks they’re going to bomb Nashville, that’s why we gotta stay the hell out of the city.”

“Why would they bomb Nashville?” He asks doubtfully. “If you ask me, your friend Pauna seems unhinged. Is she a real person?” 

“Shut up.” Is my answer to this, because truth be told I’m not sure what is real and what’s not real anymore. All that matters is finding Juniper and her grandmother and getting them to safety. 

We walk in silence for a while, and as we do, the sirens seem to become louder and louder, even thought we’re now walking in the opposite direction of the city. I can suddenly see the clearing I’ve been searching for. The sun is starting to set, but we can make it there in time, I know we can. Juniper’s house is right down the street, and if I have to I’ll tell Max to fuck off, I’ll do anything to earn her trust back.

He’s still following me, his footsteps much more quiet now that we’ve reached the pavement of the roads. We make our way towards Juniper’s house. It’s one story and painted a canary yellow. It’s small, but it’s the only place I’d ever call home right about now. The door is unlocked when I try it, which is mildly surprising until we get inside.

The place is the exact same as when I left it, one or two minor things are missing. A pillow here, a kitchen supply there.

“Juniper?” I call into the house. I hardly notice that Max has drawn his weapon again, he’s now moving around me, seemingly scouting things out. “Juniper, it’s Ladybug!”

I get no reply, and yet I don’t let the feeling of defeat overtake me until I spot the note laying on the counter.

Dear Louisa (Ladybug)  
Me and grandma are going to the city. On the news they said it’s safe there, that we’ll be evacuated to the military bases. I’ve seen the living dead on the screens, and I have to admit, I’m terrified. I know you’ll be alright. You have always been so strong, you were always meant to survive hard things like this. Come after us, if you’re reading this and it isn’t too late, I promise we will meet again.  
\- Juniper.

I collapse onto the couch, smacking my hand to my forehead, feeling all the weight of disappointment crash in around me. I look around the house desperately, trying to stop the tears now pooling in my eyes from falling down my cheeks. Max reappears in the living room, and upon seeing my expression he sits down in the armchair across from me. I hand him the note wordlessly and he reads it.

“I bet you anything they’ll be safe in the city. Especially if they left earlier, they’re probably already in a military-run safe camp.” Max says.

“I hope you’re right.” I say, because I don’t know what else to say. I suddenly need the thing I’ve been avoiding needing, and I pop open the loose bag that’s been hanging around my shoulders ever since I left Juniper’s house in the first place. I pop two pills and relax into the couch, all the while Max is looking at me questioningly. 

“You’re a drug addict?” He asks. His tone isn’t accusatory, it’s simply flat and questioning. 

Unsure of how to respond to such a blatant question, I just nod. 

“Good luck with that once shit really starts going down.” He says tiredly. “Maybe you should try smoking. It’s more accessible, healthier.”

This makes me laugh for some reason. I haven’t taken enough shit to get too high, just high enough to get rid of all the feelings. We sit in silence for a while before he gets up and heads into the kitchen. I watch him, expecting him to start pulling out food, but instead he opens a drawer and pulls out two long, pointy knives.

“You’re gonna need weapons.” He says, walking over and handing them to me. I look up at him skeptically, but he’s already moving back into the kitchen. I examine the knives in my hands, trying not to remember the days when I would drag them across my wrists. They’re not here for that anymore, they’re here to protect me this time. 

All of a sudden I hear a terribly loud, booming sound coming from outside. Max and I lock eyes, and I know we’re both thinking the same thing. I can’t move, can’t breathe for a split second. As soon as I come back to my sense I follow Max towards the door and out into the night.

I can hear screaming, terrible screaming. Explosions of red and orange and black are erupting in the sky and smoke billows into the air as more bangs join the first. Although we can only see it happening over the trees, I can hear it all, I can smell it all, and worst of all, I know what’s happening in that city without having to see it.

Thousands of people are being burned alive, it has to be. Not just the dead, but the living, and yet they bombed the city anyways. I can’t tear my eyes away from the scene in front of me. Max stands beside me, also looking shocked. I know all at once that Juniper might be dead already. I feel numb though, almost as though I genuinely can’t believe what’s happening.

If the military bombed Nashville, it means they aren’t worried about casualties, whether the casualties be the dead of the living. It also means we’re on our own, Max and I and the people who escaped the city using the roads. I already mentally decide that I’m going to find Pauna and her family. A camp is the best place to be right now, far away from the city. 

Last, but not least, it means I can’t trust anyone, because clearly this world is going to complete and utter shit.


End file.
